The revolution of immunological thinking
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Abstract
What is immunology?
The immune system is a complex system of structures and processes that has evolved to protect us from disease.
Molecular and cellular components make up the immune system. Immunology is a fundamental branch of biological and medical sciences.
The immune system has two lines of defense: innate and adaptive immunity.
Innate immunity is the first immunological mechanism against an intruding pathogen.
Adaptive immunity is antigen-dependent and antigen-specific; it has the capacity for memory, which enables the host to mount a more rapid and efficient response after exposure to the antigen.
If the immune system is not properly functioning various disorders and diseases may be the pathological consequences (allergy, cancer, autoimmunity, infectious diseases, primary and secondary immunodeficiencies).
There is a great deal of synergy between the adaptive immune system and its innate response, and defects in either system can be the origin of many common disorders not only as specific immunologic pathologies, but including various conditions (cardiovascular diseases, gastroenteric alterations, metabolic disorders, neurodegenerative status).
This article provides a general overview including essential points of Immunology background , including different aspects of the immune system to understand critical implications for developing new “biological” therapies like monoclonal antibodies and other related technologies.
Nowadays various research institutions continue the work necessary to improve the inheritance of the XX century analyzing the whole of still living basic problems (development and function of immune response, the role of signals determining the quality of the immune reactions, the tolerance, how is the immune system able/unable to control neoplastic growth, how autoimmune and allergic diseases may be treated using immunological approach, the mechanisms underlying chronic inflammation, the interaction of local/systemic immunity influencing microbes during local immunity response).
Mathematical models and artificial intelligence may be useful tools to better understand the complexity in physiology and pathology of the immune functions.
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